FRANKENMUTH, MI — It seems everyone talks about beer when it
comes to Oktoberfest, but for Ed Foltz of Frankenmuth, it's about tradition.

Foltz is one of seven members of Da Frankenmuda Fratz'n performing Friday and Saturday, Sept. 20 and 21, at the 24th annual
Frankenmuth Oktoberfest.

"Oktoberfest was originally a celebration of a wedding," Foltz
said. It was a festival leading up to the marriage of Crown Price Ludwig and
Princess Therese of Saxe-Hildburghausen in 1810 in Munich.

"Much like our Thanksgiving, it's a German celebration of
the harvest and beginning of fall," he said. "It celebrates our ability to
produce more food than we need to sustain us through the winter."

The 24th annual Frankenmuth Oktoberfest is set for 3 p.m. to
10 p.m. Thursday, Sept. 18, noon to midnight Friday and Saturday, Sept 19 and
20, and noon to 6 p.m. on Sunday, Sept. 21. Events take place in Frankenmuth's Heritage Park.

Da Frankenmuda Fratz'n will perform traditional Bavarian
numbers. Their act includes German polka, cowbells and
yodeling.

"The songs are folk songs that are passed along and revised
a little," Foltz said.

They even chop logs to the rhythm of the beat.

"There is no other way to explain it except seeing it live,"
he said.

The Frankenmuth Oktoberfest coincides and is sanctioned by the
Munich's Oktoberfest. It was sanctioned
about 13 years and is the only Oktoberfest outside of Munich to be sanctioned.

"It was sanctioned because of the sister city, Gunzenhausen,
and we were importing Hofbrau beer about that time," said event organizer Mark
Janson.

Organizers expect 8,000 to 10,000 attendees.

Oktoberfest will host a Weiner Dogs race at noon on
Saturday, Sept. 21.

Ten dogs will run at a time, and the top 10 will race for
the first place for cash and prices. Other prices include the best-dressed,
fattest and smallest dog.

Beers served at the festival are Hofbrau original, Hofbrau
Oktoberfest and LaBatt's.